Cricket : Updates August 2010
Your Ad Here

Sehwag's-innings win India match with bonus point  

Virender Sehwag          

           After suffering humiliating defeat in the opening match against New Zealand, Indian team made a grand comeback in her second outing against Sri Lanka at Dambula. First it were Indian bowlers who not only gave perfect start but also provided a comfortable target for the Indian batsmen by bundling out Sri Lankans for just 170 runs. Secondly it was swashbuckling Virender Sehwag who stood firmly at the crease and saw India reach the target with bonus point. Now India is placed at second position behind New Zealand on points. Sri Lanka is third at the moment.

            Dhoni's ill fortune with the toss continued but Sangakkara's choice of batting first, made India's task somewhat easy in the breezy and overcast conditions. Indian opening bowlers made sensible use of favourable conditions and removed four top-order batsmen for just 44 runs. Upul Tharanga, the dashing opener was clean-bowled off Praveen Kumar's very first delivery. Next to go was in-form captain Sangakkara who mis-pulled

a short ball from Ashish Nehra and was caught in the backward square leg by Pragyan Ojha for his individual contribution of only 2 runs. Mahela Jayawardene departed at 23 falling lbw to an in-cutter of Praveen Kumar. Ishant Sharma removed Samaraveera at 44 put Sri Lanka in deep trouble.

          Thereafter Ravindra Jadeja (2/34) and Pragyan Ojha (3/36) broke the back bone of Sri Lankan batting. Sri Lankans were all out for 170. Only Tillakaratane Dilshan made a defiant 45 in the top order but he too left at 82. Suraj Randiv (43) and Nuwan Kulasekara (22) provided some resistance down the order and took Sri Lankan total behind 150 plus.

          India also began her innings on disastrous note losing three top-order batsmen for only 32 runs. Then Sehwag and Suresh Raina played watchfully and added 59 runs for the 4th wicket before Raina topedged Fernando to be caught at mid on. Captain Dhoni then joined Sehwag and took India through. India reached the target in the 35th over and got a bonus point.

            Sehwag was adjudged man of the match for his incredible knock of unbeaten 99. He was unfortunate enough not to complete his first ODI hundred of the year. Suraj Randiv who bowled last ball of the innings as a no ball, was accused for deliberately bowling a no ball and denying Sehwag a hundred.            

 

 Sehwag's misfortune

          Sehwag was on 99 when India required five runs for victory. It looked certain that Sehwag would reach the magic figure but he couldn't as all the five runs required, came through extras. Suraj Randiv bowled a wide which went for four. His next ball too was no ball off which Sehwag smacked a six but with the signaling of no ball by the umpire, the game had been over. Thus the six was not counted and Sehwag remained unbeaten on 99.

           By being unbeaten on 99, Sehwag became the first Indian and 10th overall batsman to achieve this unfortunate feat. The details are as below -

Batsman Country Opponent Venue ODI
BA Edgar NZ India Auckland Feb 14, 1981
DM Jones Aus SL Adelaide Jan 28, 1985
RB Richardson WI Pak Sharjah Nov 15, 1985
A Flower Zmb Aus Harare 24 Oct 1999
ADR Campbell Zmb NZ Bulawayo Oct 1, 2000
RR Sarwan WI India Ahmedabad Nov 15, 2002
BJ Hodge Aus NZ Melbourne Feb 4, 2007
Mohd. Yusuf Pak India Gwalior Nov 15, 2007
MJ Clarke Aus Eng The Oval June 30, 2010
V Sehwag India SL Dambula Aug 16, 2010

              The victory has brought India back in contention of the triangular series but the Indian players need to be focused for the remaining matches.

Click here for -- Scorecard

... by Animesh Khare